Egg carton



May 19, 1925.

G. SQGAYLORD May 19, 1925. v 1 1,538,106 G. s. GAYLORD EGG CARTON Filed Dec. 21. 1923 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 19, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,538,106 PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE S. GAYLORD, 0F MENASHA, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO MENASHA PRINTING, &

CARTON 00., OF MENASHA, WISCONSIN, A CORPORATION OF WISCONSIN.

EGG CARTON.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it knownthat I, GEORGE S. GAYLORD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Menasha, in the county of Winnebago and State of 'Wisconsin, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Egg Cartons, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to egg cartons 0f the well known kind that are stamped from a single blank of material to provide sides, a bottom, a top or cover, and a plurality of transverse partitions, with which latter a separate longitudinal partition is adapted for association to divide the carton into individual egg receiving cells.

In all prior constructions of cartons of the foregoing kind with which I am 'familiar, the longitudinal partition has interlocking engagement solely with the transverse partitions, which does not impart a desired amount of rigidity and sturdiness to the cartons, nor assure maintenance of an operative relation between the partitions, it being a common occurrence for a longitudinal partition to become disengaged from the transverse partitions of a carton due to flexure of the latter when the carton is handled. It is my purpose, therefore, to improve the constructionjof cartons of the kind mentioned, particularly in respect to the means for securing the transverse and longitudinal partitions in operative rela tion, so that the rigidity and sturdiness of the cartons will be enhanced and the partitions will positively be held against accidental relative disengagement during handling of the cartons.

With the foregoing and other purposes in view, my invention consists in the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding partsin the diiferentviews- I Figure 1 is a perspective, of a carton embodying the novel and essential character-' istics of my invention, showing a relation of arts during enga 'ement of the longitudinal partition with the transverse partitions;

Figure 2, a view similar to Fig. 1 show? ing the longitudinal partition fully engaged with the transverse partitions and interlocked with the latter and with a portion of the bottom of the carton;

Figure 3, a longitudinal section through the carton with the parts thereof substantially in the relation shown in Fig. 1;

Flgure 4, a view similar to Fig. 3 with the parts of the carton in the carton in the relation shown in Fig. 2; and

Figure 5, a transverse section through the carton.

Referring now to the drawings in detail,

10 and 11 designate the sides of the carton, 12 the bottom thereof, 13 the top or cover, 14 a locking strip on the free longitudinal edge of the cover,-15, 15,'etc., a plurality of transverse partitions, and 16 a securing strip. The parts mentioned preferably are stamped or otherwise produced from a single blank of sheet material such as stiff paper, pasteboard or the like, and they are suitably scored for folding from knockeddown to set-up position and vice-versa..

When set up, the carton is substantially as shown in Fig. 2, from which position it is foldable by removing the central longitudinal partition, swinging the transverse partitions until they lie in a common horizontal plane, as partially shown in Fig. 1, and then collapsing the-sides along their foldable connections with the bottom in an obvious and well known manner. In settin up the carton from a fold'edcondition, t 's operation is reversed.

The transverse partitions 15, 15, etc., of which there may be any desired number, de-

pending upon the size of the carton or the size of the cells, are formed between the securing strip 16 and the side 10, the blank being cut so that the partitions are joined at their upper ends with the upper edges of the side 10 and the securing strip 16 by triangularly-shaped tabs 17 constituting hinge connections between the partitions and the side 10 and strip 16, respectively.

The strip 16 is secured in any suitable manner to the inner face of and near the top of side 11, so that the partitions 15, 15, etc, are disposed transversely of the carton and are foldable along the scored lines 18 of the tabs 17 to positions in spaced vertical planes as seen in Fig. 2 and to positions in a common horizontal plane as shown at the left hand end of Fig. 1,

A narrow recess 19 of limited depth is formed in each transverse partition and opens through the upper edges of the latter midway between its ends, and, in addition, each of the two limiting transverse partitions at the respective ends of the carton has formed therein, adjacent to the inner end of its recess 19, a small opening 20. I

The bottom 12 is provided at one end with an extension 21 that projects beyond the adjacent end of the carton and is foldable upwardly along the scored line 22 to lie against the outer face of the adjacent limiting transverse partition 15 when the latter is moved to a vertical position in a set-up condition of the carton, as seen in Figures 2 and 4.- of the drawings, said extension thereby acting to hold the free end partition of said limiting partition 15 against outward swinging movement as is apparent. In the extension 21 is formed a slot 23, the outer or upper portion of which alines with the opening 20 in the adjacent limiting transverse partition 15 for a purpose that will presently appear.

A longitudinal partition 24 separate from the carton proper is provided for association with the transverse partitions 15, 15, etc., to divide the carton into individual egg receiving cells, said longitudinal partition having a number of recesses 25 corresponding in number to the number of transverse partitions 15 formed therein and opening through the lower longitudinal edge thereof for cooperation with the transverse partitions 15 to hold the latter in the vertical set-up relation shown in Figures 2 and 4. Each of the recesses 25, with the exception of the two terminal recesses at the respective ends of the partition, is inclined as shown and provided with a straight cut-away corner portion 25' forming a point 26, so that in a set-up condition of the carton with the longitudinal partition therein, the points 26 I engage corresponding faces, and the upper ends of the recesses 25'engage opposite faces, of the transverse partitions at the bases of the recesses 19 therein and thus hold said transverse partitions against collapse. An inwardly directed protuberance 27 extends into each terminal recess 25 of the longitudinal partition and said terminal recesses are of the shape shown or of other suitable shape to facilitate engagement and disengagement of the longitudinal partition to and from the transverse artitions in the usual well known manner lndicated in Figures 1 and 3. Y

In applying-the longitudinal partition-to the carton when as usual the transversepartitions 15, 15, etc., are dis osed in a common horizontal plane, protuberance 27 at one end of the longitudinal partition is engaged in. opening 20 of the terminal transverse partition at one end of the carton and downward pressure then is exerted on the longitudinal partition to cause the lower edge portions of the latter between the respective recesses 25 to successively engage the transverse partitions and move them to vertical positions, the recesses 19 and 25 interfitting in a manner to hold the transverse partitions against collapse as aforementioned. When the transverse partitions have been moved to vertlcal positions the extension 21 is swung upward against the outer face of the terminal partition at the other end of the car ton and the protuberance 27 at this end of the longitudinal partition engaged through the alined openings 23-20 to lock the longitudinal partition against removal and the transverse partitions against collapse, as is apparent.

On the free edge of the cover strip 14 is formed one or more tongues 28 for engagement with a slit or slits 29 in the side 10 to secure the top or cover 13 in closed position, andin order to avoid interference of the transverse partitions with said tongue or tongues, the edge of the partition or partitions that extends across the slit or slits is recessed as at 30.

ll claim 1. A carton including sides, a bottom, a plurality of transverse partitions and an end extension on the bottom all formed from a single blank, a separately formed longitudinal partition interfitting with said transverse partitions to divide the carton into cells, and a single means on said longitudinal partition having interlocking engagement with one of said transverse partitions and With'said end extension.

2. A. carton including sides, a bottom, a plurality of transverse partitions and an end extension on the bottom all formed from a single blank, a separately formed longitudinal partition interfitting with said transverse partitions to divide the carton into cells, and a protuberance on said longitudinal partition having interlocking engage ment with one of said transverse partitions and with said end extension.

3. A carton includingside's, a bottom, a plurality oftransverse partitions and an end extension on the bottom all formed from a single blank, aseparately formed longitudinal partition interfitting with said trans-v verse partitions to divide the carton into cells, and an interlocking connection between the longitudinal partition, one of said trans- 3 verse partitions and the end extension of the bottom.

4. A carton including sides, a bottom, a plurality of transverse partitions and an end extension on the bottom all formed from a single blank, said end extension being foldable against the outer faceof the limiting transverse partition, a separately formed longitudinal partition interfitting with said transverse partitions to divide the carton into cells, and an interlocking connection bet-vveen the longltudinal partition, said e1;- tenslon and said limiting transverse part1- tion.

5. A carton including sides, a bottom, a top, and a plurality of transverse partitions connecting the sides, the top being hingedly connected to one of the sides and carrying tongues for securing engagement through slits in the other side, certain of the trans- 10 verse partitions being cut away aiong one marginal edge to avoid interference of such partitions with said ton es when the latter are engaged through sald, slits.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto sub- 15 scribed my name.

GEORGE s. GAYLORD. 

